


One That Sticks

by deirdre_aithne



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Asexuality, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-18
Updated: 2013-03-18
Packaged: 2019-10-28 00:08:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,539
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17776817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deirdre_aithne/pseuds/deirdre_aithne
Summary: Harry's sexuality has cost him more than one relationship, and quite a few bad dates. All he wants now is to find something that sticks.





	One That Sticks

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer:** I do not own or claim to own any characters, settings, locations, etc. from Harry Potter. All borrowed aspects of the above fandom are used purely for entertainment in a fanwork, and will be returned to their proper fandom and owners scratch, dent, and injury-free.

The coffee shop was bustling around him, filled with the noise of chattering people and the steady chime of the bell over the door as customers moved in and out. What little warmth he'd felt when he first entered had faded rapidly as business had picked up over the past several minutes; the constant opening and closing of the door letting the bitter chill of winter inside and causing him to pull his coat tighter around himself. Several people moved past his table on their way towards the few remaining empty tables, and despite the steady stream of bodies passing him by, Harry kept his head down, flicking his gaze to the watch on his wrist to confirm he still had time before his blind date was due to arrive.

A soft sigh slipped from his lips as he lowered the steaming cup of coffee from his lips and replaced it on the table. The heat seeping through the Styrofoam and into his skin burned his hands, and still he kept them curled around the cup as he gazed down into his drink with a small frown turning down the corners of his mouth. His last date, with the Malfoy bloke he'd met the month before, had ended on a rather disastrous note, despite his own high hopes for the evening, leaving him wary of what was to come. Dinner with Malfoy had gone smoothly, with the two of them sharing comfortable conversation and a few good laughs over their drinks until Harry had no trouble returning the other man's gentle flirting.

It was at that point, though, that Malfoy had made it clear he was on the pull, attempting to run his hands high up along Harry's thigh, and even going as far as to make a grab at his arse before Harry had pushed his hands away with a kind, but firm rejection. He'd thought, going into their date, that Malfoy had understood his desires, and even as he'd told the man outright that he had _no_ intention of anything happening between them sexually, he had dared to hope that he hadn't been mistaken.

But then, Malfoy had sniffed and scowled, pulling away from him as he'd put his own foot down on the matter.

_"I'm hardly willing to spend the rest of my life as a celibate, Potter. If you are unwilling to compromise, then I do not believe that this is going to work between us at all."_

Shaking his head with another sigh, Harry propped his elbows against the edge of the table and dropped his head into his hands, his forehead cupped in his palms while his thumbs began to rub small circles against his temples as he felt a migraine building from the noise. His love life had been a bit of a shambles ever since he and Ginny had broken up two years earlier, after her own frustrations with his needs had come to a head. Not that she'd ever been angry with him over it – in all actuality, she had never been anything but understanding, and even as she'd told him she was going to move out of the flat they shared, she had wished him well with a genuine smile.

It simply hadn't been for her, the same as it hadn't been for Malfoy, although Ginny had spent the better part of five years with him, before they'd both had to admit that it wasn't working for them. She'd had needs, and as much as she had loved him, and he had loved her in return, there had only been so much Harry had been able to compromise, even for her. And once it was over, he hadn't known where to start again.

It had taken time for him to jump back into the dating field, and even once he had, it had been slow going. His first handful of dates had been one disappointment after another, without even the slightest spark of emotional attraction for him to speak of. When one had finally struck him, with a man a few years younger than himself, the subject of his sexuality had become an issue within only a matter of weeks, and Harry had found himself right back where he'd begun, until he met Malfoy at the local book shop.

The attraction, at least on his end, had been almost immediate, although it had taken him two weeks of regular casual conversations to pluck up the courage to ask him out on a date. They'd talked about it, before setting their plans, and Harry had done his best to make it plain what he was looking for, and still it had all gone south much quicker than he'd expected. Flicking his gaze again to his watch, he pursed his lips and contemplated his half-empty cup of coffee.

"Bugger it," he muttered softly under his breath as he picked up the cup and stood, ready to bolt out the door now, before his blind date actually arrived. It hadn't been his idea, this time – he'd gotten close to Ginny's brother Ron, during the years they had been together, and by extension, Ron's wife Hermione, and it had been she who suggested the mysterious man he was expecting. Given the route his last handful of dates had taken, however, Harry wasn't certain he could handle another miserable experience.

As he turned away from his table, though, his gaze locked with that of a man who had just entered the shop, and Harry paused.

The man had twenty years on him in age and a good foot in height as well. Built lean, with tailored trousers accentuating the long lines of his legs, and a fitted shirt drawing Harry's eye to the trim line of his waist, he was certainly an imposing figure. His dark eyes seemed to stare straight into Harry, and a small shiver rippled through him as a flush began creeping into his cheeks beneath the man's gaze.

"Mr Potter?" the man asked once he'd manoeuvred around the line that stretched between Harry's table and the door to stand closer, and Harry inclined his head as he gave himself a mental shake. He shuffled his coffee from his right hand to his left before offering his hand to him with a small smile.

"Harry," he corrected. "You're Mr Snape, then?" Snape nodded, clasping his hand, and Harry's flush deepened a shade as he swore his skin tingled where the man had touched him when they both released their grasp.

"You may call me Severus..." The man paused, his brow furrowing slightly as he looked at Harry, a flicker of uncertainty seeming to cross his features before he masked it. "Were you leaving?"

Harry recovered quicker than he thought himself capable of and shook his head, flashing a grin as he raised his cup a bit to show Severus. "Thought I might as well order another drink while I waited for you... Would you like one?" He watched as the notes of tension in Severus' posture eased with his answer, and in return, Harry's nerves settled somewhat as he followed Severus towards the end of the queue.

"Since it appears I have kept you waiting, I believe this one can be on me."

* * *

"Would... would you like to come in?" Harry's cheeks were flushed with a combination of the cold and nerves as he asked, and he resisted the desire to begin wringing his hands anxiously as he flashed a hopeful smile at Severus. The corners of his mouth twitched as the smile started to falter when he watched uncertainty flicker across the other man's face, though, and he quickly caught himself before his entire expression fell.

"You don't have to if you don't want," he amended, shrugging and ducking his head a bit as he began to fumble for his key. "I just thought..."

Their coffee date had lasted long enough for them to decide to share dinner together at a pub down the street from the café, before sharing the taxi ride from there to Harry's flat. Severus had even left the warmth of the car to walk him to the door of his building. He'd thought things had been going well, so far, and had hoped to spend a bit more time with Severus before the end of their evening together. Starting to shake his head at himself, Harry let out a soft sigh of disappointment and turned towards the door of his complex, sliding the key into the door and pausing as Severus' hand settled on his shoulder.

He felt the heat of the other man's body against his back as Severus stepped closer, followed by the warmth of his breath against his skin as he spoke into his ear.

"Just give me a moment."

Harry nodded, swallowing a little nervously as Severus moved away from him. He finished unlocking his building and stepped into the warmth inside before he turned, holding the door open while he watched Severus paying their taxi. His uncertainty began to rise when Severus finally came back up the building's steps to join him inside, and he determinedly pushed it down as he flashed a shy smile and led the other man up to his flat on the third floor.

It took another moment of fumbling for him to open the door, and Harry shrugged out of his coat as he stepped inside. "Do you want some tea or anything?" he asked as he hung his coat up on one of the pegs on the wall, then turned to look at Severus behind him. "I could fix a pot of coffee, if you'd rather, or I have-"

Severus silenced him by moving closer and bringing their lips together; his lips were soft and warm against his own, and Harry sucked in a soft breath before allowing himself to melt into the kiss. Heat spread through him as their lips moved together, Harry's mouth opening only a few seconds after Severus' as they explored each other with a slow thoroughness that left Harry breathless when they broke apart. His face was flushed, lips swollen, and his entire body sung with warmth, not in arousal, but rather the simple pleasure of the kiss.

"If you are quite finished babbling, perhaps we could move somewhere more comfortable?" Severus suggested. One corner of his mouth was quirked upwards as he spoke, and Harry swallowed nervously as he nodded, waving towards the sitting room.

"Would the sofa do? I think... maybe... we should talk?" He looked at Severus for a moment and relaxed when the other man did not seem disappointed by the suggestion.

Taking a breath, he slipped from between Severus and the wall and led the way towards the sofa to drop himself down on the middle cushion, perched at the edge of it while he wrung his hands in his lap. Severus claimed the seat beside him, reclining against the arm of the sofa, and Harry could feel his eyes on him as silence stretched between them for a long moment. Finally, Severus reached over and caught both of Harry's hands in his own to still his fidgeting.

"I'm not sure what Hermione might have told you, but I..." He swallowed thickly. "I don't..."

A mix of relief and renewed nerves coursed through Harry when Severus gently squeezed his hand and shifted closer to his side. He released his hand and moved his arm to drape around Harry's shoulders, with his hand resting against his shoulder, long fingers tracing light circles on his bicep.

"Perhaps it may help you to know what she _did_ tell me?" he suggested, and at Harry's nod, he continued. "She had informed me of your age, what you looked like, and provided a small list of your interests, all things which I suppose are expected in a situation such as this?" Severus gave him a questioning look, as though seeking confirmation that those were not the things concerning him now and Harry gave another nod, which was returned by him before he spoke again. "She also made a point to tell me that you are very much a romantic, although she refused to elaborate any further."

Despite himself, Harry let out a nervous laugh and ducked his head. "You could say that, I guess." He paused, and to his relief, Severus did not rush him to collect his thoughts, waiting patiently for him to be ready to continue. Closing his eyes for several seconds, Harry pulled in a deep breath and released it with a soft sigh before he straightened his spine a little and turned his face towards Severus again, looking him in the eyes and speaking with more confidence than he felt.

"I don't – I _won't_ – have sex. With anyone. I've learned that there's very little room for me to compromise with it, which has cost me a lot of relationships in the past. Every now and then, I can... _help_... my partner, but it has to be with my hands, or toys. For a lot of people, I know that isn't enough."

"I guess calling me a romantic is sort of close, in a way. I _want_ a relationship with someone – it's not as though I can't still _love_ someone, I just..." He flashed a rueful smile and shrugged one shoulder. "I just don't want to have sex with them." Severus' gaze remained fixed on him while he spoke, and turning his face away again quickly, Harry swallowed. "I didn't want to give you the wrong impression, with what we were doing, but kissing is still something that I enjoy; quite a lot, actually. But then you started moving your hands and I was afraid you thought this might head somewhere else than it really can't. If you're not interested anymore, I-"

" _Harry_."

"Yes?" Instinctively, he turned towards Severus again when the other man said his name, and his curious expression quickly shifted to wide-eyed surprise for a fleeting instant as he saw Severus leaning in close to him again. Just before their lips pressed together, Harry's lashes fluttered, and a soft hum rumbled in his throat at the gentle pressure of Severus' mouth against his own again.

The kiss lasted for only a moment, but when they separated, Severus kept close, one hand pressed to Harry's cheek while he tipped their foreheads together.

"I will not lie to you and say that intimacy does not matter to me. However, it is not the most important thing. I would _very much_ like to continue seeing you, and see if this might work."

Harry stared at Severus after he finished, searching his eyes for a long moment before letting out a sigh in relief. No one since Ginny had offered him such easy understanding, whether they discovered up-front what he wanted from a relationship, or a bit further down the road, and Severus' willingness to feel things out a while longer was a welcome change from what he'd come to expect from his dates. Melting against the other man, Harry reached a hand up to lay over Severus' on his cheek, and tipped his face to brush their lips together once more.

"I'd like that, too, Severus."


End file.
